Urea Recycling and Metabolism of Ponies

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Abstract
Nitrogen and urea metabolism were studied in 12 growing female ponies fed a diet containing 6, 9, 13 or 18% crude protein. Nitrogen balance was used as a measure of efficiency of nitrogen metabolism. Endogenous fecal N was estimated at 52.1 mg N/kg B.W. 0.75/day and endogenous urinary N loss was calculated to be 128 mg/kg B.W. 0.75/day. The absorbed nitrogen required to maintain nitrogen balance was estimated at 331 mg/kg B.W. 0.75/day. From 200 to 574 mg of urea-N/kg B.W. 0.75/day were recycled and degraded in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the amount of urea recycled was not correlated with plasma urea concentrations. In general, as dietary N intake increased, plasma urea concentrations, urea pool size, urea entry rate and urea excretion rate also increased. The data demonstrate that significant quantities of urea are recycled and hydrolyzed in the gastrointestinal tract of the horse. Copyright © 1974. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1974 by American Society of Animal Science

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